The Jamie Kennedy Experiment
Encyclopedia
The Jamie Kennedy Experiment is a half-hour-long American
hidden camera
/practical joke
reality television series that was broadcast on The WB. The host and star of the show was Jamie Kennedy
, a comedian
who presents a reality format which combines a hidden camera
with sketch comedy
.
The show's format vaguely resembled that of earlier TV shows like Candid Camera
.
In the show, Kennedy travels across the U.S. and finds people to participate in on-camera practical joke
s ("experiments"). Usually there is at least one person (who is in on the joke) and the "mark" or victim of the prank (usually a friend or relative of the accomplice). Kennedy dons one of several disguises and assumes a character of his own creation to be part of the gag, often using a different voice. The mark then finds himself in some bizarre, unbelievable situation. When it appears that the mark has had as much nonsense as he can tolerate, Kennedy delivers his punchline: "You've been X'ed!".
The show was cancelled in April 2004 after having failing ratings on the WB. It was picked up by G4
Network for syndication in October 2006. It is now being shown in the UK on the music channel TMF (Part of the MTV Group).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hidden camera
Hidden camera
A hidden camera is a still or video camera used to film people without their knowledge. The camera is "hidden" because it is either not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object...
/practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
reality television series that was broadcast on The WB. The host and star of the show was Jamie Kennedy
Jamie Kennedy
James Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy is an American comedian, rapper, and actor.-Early life:Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family is of Irish descent and he was raised Roman Catholic. He attended and graduated from...
, a comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
who presents a reality format which combines a hidden camera
Hidden camera
A hidden camera is a still or video camera used to film people without their knowledge. The camera is "hidden" because it is either not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object...
with sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
.
The show's format vaguely resembled that of earlier TV shows like Candid Camera
Candid Camera
Candid Camera is a hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as Candid Microphone June 28, 1947...
.
In the show, Kennedy travels across the U.S. and finds people to participate in on-camera practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
s ("experiments"). Usually there is at least one person (who is in on the joke) and the "mark" or victim of the prank (usually a friend or relative of the accomplice). Kennedy dons one of several disguises and assumes a character of his own creation to be part of the gag, often using a different voice. The mark then finds himself in some bizarre, unbelievable situation. When it appears that the mark has had as much nonsense as he can tolerate, Kennedy delivers his punchline: "You've been X'ed!".
The show was cancelled in April 2004 after having failing ratings on the WB. It was picked up by G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
Network for syndication in October 2006. It is now being shown in the UK on the music channel TMF (Part of the MTV Group).
Recurring sketches
- "Brad "B-Rad" Gluckman" - A skit where Jamie portrayed a stereotypical white rapperWiggerWigger is a pejorative slang term for a white person who emulates mannerisms, language, and fashions associated with African-American culture, particularly hip hop in the United States or the Grime/Garage scene in Britain. The term is a portmanteau of either wannabe or white and nigger...
, often trying to convince the mark to let him stay at his/her house. The "B-Rad" character was later spun off into a movie, Malibu's Most WantedMalibu's Most WantedMalibu's Most Wanted is a 2003 comedic feature film written by and starring Jamie Kennedy and co-starring Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson, and Regina Hall....
. - "Pizza Delivery" - A skit where a mark was hired as a pizza delivery boy to a pizza shop run by the mafia.
- "Judge Jamie" - A parody on numerous judge shows, Jamie played the role of James W. Leighland, an old, confused, and incompetent judge, often with perverted tendencies.
- "Jaw Surgery" - A skit where Jamie "X'es" his marks by pretending to have just had jaw surgery, and has to wear a metal-wire contraption that keeps his mouth open. He plays different characters in different skits, but they have all just had jaw surgery.
- "Virginia Hamm" - A parody of daytime talk shows, Jamie would undergo an entire transformation and become a heavyset African-American femaleFemaleFemale is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
talk show host. - "You Be the Judge" - Another parody on judgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
shows, a mark was picked to be the judgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
for an episode, and had to preside over a case with an extremely unusual plaintiff or defendant. - "Lou Hollander" - A skit where Jamie portrayed a driving school teacher, with the student as his mark, and had to "take a detour" during the lesson due to family/marital issues. Also used during the second season, but with Lou Hollander having a paper route instead.
- "Old Rascal" - A skit where Jamie dressed up as Mario, the world's oldest waiter, and the gag on the mark was that Mario was retiring, and he/she would be his last table.